This is Testosterone induced hallucinations on the part of the police. This man was no obstruction execept in the officer's minds. I think this gentleman should look into filing a civil rights violation and he should fight any change in the arrest title. These cops said it best when one of them said, "I'm sick of this shit." The officers had no intention of stopping a crime but decided to squelch dissent. What country is this?

Diane dear, remember, this is the South. This is not San Francisco, where Michael Savage can be driven off the air by the Board of Supervisors because he doesn't represent "community values." This guy did not represent the "community values" of where he lived.

I wish I could have stood with him as the bigot-servant misnamed a police sergeant behaved illegally by obstructing justice.

Around here a sign like that is met with.........applause.
Our "community values" dont support treason, murder, lies and deceit.

Oh, really, Ron "white power darliing" Paul? I guess your values support forcing a woman to carry a pregnancy to term against her will because that's on Ron Paul's agenda...no gummint except to force the little ladies to breed.

Your horribly misinformed Zee...and thats not the topic anyhow.
Stay on course or go troll somewhere else.
shoo

You know, I always thought Asheville would be a nice place to live, as it has a high number of veg restaurants.

I guess maybe I've changed my mind.

If his sign had read "God bless Our Troops!" he would have been given free lunch rather than handcuffs.

"Your horribly misinformed Zee"... ???? Just another billions for bombs and pennies for education.

Kathy, it is indeed surprising that something like this would occur in Asheville. I fear Ashevile has gone the way of the rest of the state.

But Shelly, what happened has little to do with Asheville's geographic location; I have been recording such incidents for years now, and they have taken place all over the United States.

Under the Bush new Police State, freedom of speech and assembly have been replaced with arrest and detention. The new presidential signing statements , give the govt. the freedom to declare anyone an enemy combatant or terrorist and intimidate and arrest anyone who protests anything this government is doing, without due process of law (HABEAS CORPUS). It's happening all over the country and will only get worse when Bush declares Martial Law and opens the detention camps to us citizen who protest in any way, the fascist dictatorship that has beCOME theocratic America. The ACLU has it's work cut out for itself, but it will be like shoveling coal against the tide.

But dr. bob, let's be SURE we support strict gun control, so that only the government can be armed.

After all, NO Reasonable Person NEEDS An Assault Rifle, And In AMERICA They Never Will. The GOVERNMENT Will PROTECT Us...

Demetria Gordon, it doesn't seem like you've ever heard a word Ron Paul had to say about war and war hawks, if you think he's a "billions for bombs" type, as you say.

Try this Ron Paul statement to see if it fits that view:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMSxPZbtWks&mode=related&search=

Well said gvc. Congressman Ron Paul took a courageous stand against the Iraq war, unlike Ms. Clinton and others. Ms. Clinton is a Democrat and would not have been going against her party to have voted no on the war and the subsequent funding. For Congressman Paul to go against his party, Cheney,Rove and company, it takes real courage. The party in power(one's own party as well) has tremendous power and it can break rebels. To fight it is remarkable.

I heard Ron Paul on Air America recently, and was disgusted to hear how he favored states' rights on the issue of abortion. The fight against the oppression of women is ongoing. He ain't one of the fighters. I'm a heterosexual male, and proud of it.

"I heard Ron Paul on Air America recently, and was disgusted to hear how he favored states' rights on the issue of abortion"

He also has either the worst, or second to worst, record in protecting animals. He has voted consistently against laws that punish animal cruelty and stop animal fighing, as well as laws to protect lab animals and factory farm animals. His across-the-board votes for the factory farm industry are votes that support massive cruelty, and they are also anti-environmental votes.

Zephyrbag? (interesting...)
Maybe YOU like the idea of having federal government dictate to the States, and the People on medical issues. Maybe you think it's a fine precedent, and that only good will come of it.
Some of us have a different idea in what direction such a precedent heads us.

Maybe YOU think the Constitution enumerates some power that ALLOWS them to dictate on medical matters.
Some of us have yet to read such an enumerated power in the Constitution.

Diane, to put it simply and directly, Ron Paul votes against ANYTHING that the Constitution doesn't SPECIFICALLY empower the Federal government to do.
And he doesn't buy into the: "Interstate Commerce Clause Empowers ANYTHING We Want To Do" argument that has allowed such nonsense as, for example, prohibiting you from growing weed for your own personal use.

Diane, I think that you should be more concerned about the thousands of people, humans, that our military kills in Iraq every month, then Congressman Paul voting on issues that are best left to the state and local government to handle. The federal government handles war, and Congressman Paul gets an A for that. I understand that according to PETA, the real Holocaust is not what happened to the Jews, but what is happening to the millions of chickens. We will agree to disagree.

The Asheville PD is never going to change. It reminds me a lot of the New Orleans PD. It is always going to be an unprofessional operation. The City Fathers don't want anything more. If they were competent they would become a threat against real crime, and real criminals.

Dennis, a society that is willing to torture animals is well prepared to torture and kill people. this war is a prefect example. Stating that one has concerns for other beings than just humans does not preclude concern for humanity; your statement to Diane is slander not logic. BTW, misquoting PETA or any source to bolster a polarizing argument shows limited reasoning and makes one question your motives.

Kanuga: You mean they might become a threat as far as investigating political corruption and it's perpetrators?

Heaven forbid!

I am glad that Ron Paul is in the Presidential race, but I don't think we are all as ready as he is to just ditch the federal government. Dennis Kucinich who is running as a Democrat has equal respect for the Constitution, and he is the most, and longest, opponent of the Iraq occupation. His is the voice of peace and experience. He deserves our support. Look at his website, watch the youtubes and see for yourself that he is the one!

and now they begin to take the most important thing...
FREEDOM OF SPEECH
congratulations APD when having lunch sometime this week try reading over the constitution (its the one that starts "We the People...", in case you forgot), since the government does not...guess when the book burning begins the Costitution will be the first kindling huh?
Shame on you APD shame on you. i have an idea for ya though...
You could just start running people over with tanks on live TV (pretty efective in China I hear) and that way all those silly hippies, liberals, fags, punks, and the rest of the city that is capable of thinking for themselves and drawing their own opinion wont obstruct any more sidewalks...oh by the way have you guys/gals been to pritchard park lately? I guess public urination, drinking, drug use and fighting is much less offensive.

Ron Paul vs. Dennis Kucinich would probably be my dream race.
The reigning powers in both wings of the Mobius Party will fight tooth & nail, dollar & dirty-trick, to make sure neither part of it comes to be.

Personally, I'd vote for Ron, but a Dennis win wouldn't break my heart.
Dr. Paul doesn't want to "ditch" the federal government. He simply wants to make it operate WITHIN it's legally (Constitutionally) enumerated powers, the way the Founders intended. He WOULD ditch the functions that fall outside of it's defined limits, IF he could get through Congress with his plan (doubtful, but I bet you'd see Congress deal with a Whole Lot of vetos). But at least The DISCUSSION would be taking place, rather than the discussion we've had for years, which amounts to "Which WAY do we expand the role of the federal government?"

After all, it's the Constitution that every Federal official, from the Prezidick down to a buck-private enlistee, swears the oath to. That's why the Founders created the oath in the form it takes.

What is so frustrating in reading the comments above is that anyone thinks there is a perfect candidate out there. So Ron Paul has a view of war that a liberal can stomach, but he doesn't on animal rights. I get that. But at the end of the day, all the candidates are a mixed bag of pros and cons. Except for Mitt Romney, who is a tool, pure and simple. I went to the youtube sited above for the Ron Paul comments, and, man, didn't Romney look like a class A a--hole with that cornball smirk on his face, envoking the great Republican god of war Nyna Leven. "Has he forgotten - forsaken - Nyna Leven?" he kept parroting. What a piece of crap he is to pull that out and swing it around - it was satisfyng to see that Ron Paul kept the audience focus and that there was not a distracting little round of applause for Nyna Leven. Not even a little patter.

"..didn't Romney look like a class A a--hole with that cornball smirk on his face.."

My thoughts exactly.
Looked like his handlers had told him: "Hey, LOOK at the Great response Rudy got by denying he'd ever heard of foreign policy "blowback", and evoking (I love this) Nyna Leven! Let's have YOU pounce on the first opportunity at the 9-11 applause line next debate! It'll look GREAT on the 5 second soundbites at 11:00."

"His across-the-board votes for the factory farm industry are votes that support massive cruelty, and they are also anti-environmental votes." Diane, as a vegetarian, I think that you are absolutely right. The meat industry produces as much green house gases as our autos. If we would all become vegetarian our planet would be a much better place to live. People,please control your flesh eating appetites and you will stop many of these problems.Think green, go vegetarian. Vote for Dennis Kucinich because he is a vegan. He really walks the talk. Congressman Paul is from cattle producing Texas. Shame on him.

This is why only dumb people become cops.

They are willing to do whatever corrupt GOP politicians want them to do.

I think the city of Ashville; with help from an ignorant police department, will end up paying out money to this protester. The police will be no match for the ACLU.

Title 18, U.S.C., Section 242
Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law
This statute makes it a crime for any person acting under color of law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom to willfully deprive or cause to be deprived from any person those rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution and laws of the U.S.

This law further prohibits a person acting under color of law, statute, ordinance, regulation or custom to willfully subject or cause to be subjected any person to different punishments, pains, or penalties, than those prescribed for punishment of citizens on account of such person being an alien or by reason of his/her color or race.

.... it continues ....

Bush and his cronies are coaxing the populus into open revolution. Whala! Then he can declare martial law and cancel the '08 election. Too bad his mind works like that.

BushCo has already won, look at the petty squabbling goin on here between " liberals"
USA deserves Bush-good luck, US capitalists pigs destroying the planet- I hope terrortists bomb the crap outta y'all- all the death you've allowed your govt to do, you deserve your own personal nuclear options, So Long Suckers!

Anar, you are a disgrace to Islam to speak like that. Islam is a religion of peace. You should read CAIR's site for the "Fatwa" against terror and other related pieces condemning what you advocate. Shame on you.

It astonishes me, that with bs like this going on, there are still people for "gun control"... note that CONTROL part, which is what those in power really want. Total control.

It also amazes me, that while we are quite obviously goose-stepping towards a REAL LIVE POLICE STATE, so many liberals are still worrying only about things like immigration and Roe v Wade. While those things are fairly important, but matter NOT AT ALL if we do end up under a true Bush Decidership.

Remember Live Free or Die?

I would hope a few people would take the time to send some cash to the ACLU for this. You might not agree with everything they do (I don't), but there's not much standing in the way of the fascists right now, other than organizations like the ACLU (and what’s left of the constitution).

Their is going to come a day when people aren't going to take this shit off police anymore. If they are chimp supporters fine they are morons and reprobates, When they start abridging people rights, that they have sworn an oath to protect, then they are viscious and dangerous and should be treated as such.

Surprise, surprise. A man wants to voice his opinion, and the sargent of the local police (The new Gestapo) comes up and arrests him for doing so.

'I think we have a real problem with loose Nazis in America, folks. After all, with Hitler (bush for you republicanazi out here) running the white house, his minion doing the bidding everywhere, and a Riech Chancellor of his area like that sargent in charge, what else could it be?

No surprise, Ashville is in the middle of the Southern-Baptist
hell-hole. Nothing but Hillbillies and Haters-fer Jeziz.

Shame on you Bill for sterotyping Southern Baptists. They are strong suppoters of Israel. You are also put down Southerners when Diane specifically said that this is all over the country. You are nothing but a racist yourself.

At times,San Francisco appears to be intolerant like Asheville. San Francisco's unofficial city motto "Our Diversity is our greatest strength!" is generally recognized as socialist pap, an Oath of Allegiance to insanity by the extreme left.
But in a delicious twist of political irony that even Dr. Michael Savage and his ten million devotees are celebrating, diversity actually won the day against a band of Nazi-fascists
masquerading as elected officials in San Francisco. Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval(an alleged anti-Semite) decided that free speech is an "extravagant exuberance" that San Francisco can no longer afford.

Therefore, in the interest of zero tolerance for tolerance, Sandoval waddled to the fore and introduced a resolution condemning the constitutionally protected speech of the talk radio show host. Ed Jew, a San Francisco Board of Supervisors member whose grandfather emigrated from China seven decades ago, voted against the resolution.
Jew's NO! turned out to be the only vote for democratic principle among supervisors who voted 9-1 to suspend the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights in regards to Dr. Savage. Still, Mr. Jew's heroic and patriotic vote put an end to Sandoval's reckless experiment with fascist Nazism in the city that used to know how.

MaryJo, it is isn't racism, silly, unless you think Southerners are their own race. Believe me, some would think that explained a lot. I think the word you want is 'bigot'. But if Southern Baptists [the church that never stuck to me] DON'T want the rep for being ignorant haters, than they have a lot of work to do on their public image. The huge support that Southern Baptists and other Christian churches have given this bloody war along with their attitudes of intolerance towards homosexuality and other non-conforming lifestyles, makes them an easy target for accusations of ignorance, hatefulness, hillbillyism and, in my book, supreme hypocrisy.

05-01-01) 04:00 PDT San Francisco SF Chonicle -- In what many are taking as an anti-Semitic slap, newly elected Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval got up the other night and urged San Franciscans upset over business tycoons suing the city to picket "at their houses in Tiburon and at their bar mitzvahs." Assemblywoman Carole Migden -- who also is Jewish, a lesbian and not a big favorite down at the Milk Club -- was also miffed at Sandoval's remark and the club's indifferent reaction to it.

"If something racist was said, they would never have let him out of the room," Migden said. "Apparently, we're(Jews) more assailable."
at their bar mitzvahs."

Remember Uncle George and his lackeys are reading this. How do we know that they have not already created concentration camps in America for the nay-sayers. Asheville police officers are merely following their instructions from their supervisors, no different than the German citizens in the concentration camps. It is time to unmask the Administrative Evil the engulfs this Republican administration.

I am with you Paul, the Southern Baptists are your target and the white racist Jews are my target. They are both fair game. Let the games begin.

For less than ten bucks, you can get a license plate frame from Walmart that comes with bunches of letters, numbers etc. you can use to compose messages on the top and bottom of the frame. I'd guess mine would get an interesting reaction in SC. It reads:
IMPEACH CHENEY
& BUSH TWO

I have absolutely had it with this Bunch of thugs that run this country. This is a flagrant violation of freedom of speech and those cops know it. Maybe they should go to Iraq and take a few blows for the decider-then perhaps they will leave quiet protestors like this man alone!!!!!! Big Brother is watching all of us!!!!

I guess Steven has a soft spot for Ethiopian racist Jews. They're not his target. Only the white ones.

Sounds kind of racist to me.

cheryl, AIPAC is behind the Administration's coming war with Iran. The Zionist influence on the Administration must be exposed. The Southern Baptists are "Christian Zionists" in solidarity with the Jew Zionists, marching to war against Iran for the benefit of Israel. Stop Zionism, end the occupation.

We most certainly do know what country this is. The United States of Oceania.

But Peter, Do we know who the ENEMY is?

Global warming is the enemy of Oceania. It will make the oceans raise. Global warming is more important that all the issues raised.

The enemy within is the greatest enemy.
Emmanuel Goldstein is the enemy within.

Isn't it obvious from some of the postings here of late?
"Goldstein" is the enemy.

"I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we're really talking about peace."
George W. Bush, June 18, 2002

This is Jonas Phillips, the Asheville Freeway Blogger referred to in the article. If you would like to follow my story, view our blog, gaiastears.blogspot.com

Police State Crimes are to be expected as we have returned to this Year of the Pig.

Bill Sherman, you're a moron. Why don't you stfu until you can speak about something you know? I've lived in NC all of my life so I know for a fact that we are not as you claim. The ignorance of people like you disgusts me.

Anti-southern prejudice, like all other prejudices, requires neither reason nor evidence for it's support.

It simply "is".
A force of nature, like the smell of a hog farm.

I live in Asheville, NC, where we have a progressive majority on our city council, where Dennis Kucinich won the Democratic Presidential primary in 2004, where peace rallies are common and well attended, and where calls for the impeachment of Bush/Cheney/Gonzales are common. I have complete faith that the travesty of justice described in the article will be dealt with swiftly and effectively by our city government. I moved here from Austin, Texas, another bastion of progressivism in the midst of a sea of red, at least in part, because I (and my left-libertarian political views fit it so well. I also moved here because of the general acceptance of a broad range of spiritual practices--Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Pagan, Native American, none of the above, and many others. A wiser man than I said, "Make no assumptions." I suggest some those who have posted here might want to consider this before exposing their ignorance.

Back In The U.S.S.A

http://www.saturn-soft.net/Music/Music1/MIDI/PopRock/docussrv1.mid

Flew in from Miami Beach BOAC
Didn't get to bed last night
Oh, the way the paper bag was on my knee
Man, I had a dreadful flight
I'm back in the USSA
You don't know how lucky you are, dude
Back in the USSA, yeah

Been away so long I hardly knew the place
Gee, it's good to be back home
Leave it till tomorrow to unpack my case
Honey disconnect the phone
I'm back in the USSA
You don't know how lucky you are, dude
Back in the US
Back in the US
Back in the USSA

Well the L.A girls really knock me out
They leave the east behind
And New York girls make me sing and shout
And Georgia's always on my my my my my my my my my mind
Oh, come on
Hu Hey Hu, hey, ah, yeah
yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm back in the USSA
You don't know how lucky you are, dudes
Back in the USSA

Well the L.A girls really knock me out
They leave the east behind
And New York girls make me sing and shout
And Georgia's always on my my my my my my my my my mind

Oh, show me round your snow peaked
mountain way down south
Take me to you daddy's farm
Let me hear your Fallwell's ringing out
Come and keep yo mama warm
I'm back in the USSA
Hey, You don't know how lucky you are, dude
Back in the USSA
Oh, let me tell you honey

Well, at least we now know of two people, Crisp and Riddle, who will gladly enforce MARTIAL LAW when Bush and Cheney declare it within the next six months.

The likeliest scenario?

Bush and Cheney launch an attack against Iran, wanting to start this war in the milder fall and winter monthsa in the Middle East.

Iran retaliates, somehow even succeeding in striking inside the United States.

Bush and Cheney declare a national emergency, and order martial law to be instituted.

More and more "dots" keep popping up indicating that Bush and Cheney are seriously considering attacking Iran, and that they are preparing for martial law to be declared sometime soon in the United States.

I believe U.S. citizens are naively underestimating the utter evil we are all really facing in the rogue Republican Bush administration, an administration that has tried to hide it's evil by wrapping itself in "holy" robes and the "talking point" rhetoric of all the religious fundamentalists.

I'm not fooled. We, as a nation, are teetering on the brink. Bush and Cheney will attack Iran. Iran will respond. Bush and Cheney will declare martial law, seizing all power unto themselves. Unless patriotic members of Congress do something immediately...to somehow avert this national disaster.

I left North Carolina two years ago and am happily ensconced in Maine. My primary reason for leaving is that the Southern Baptist Church, neo-Nazis with Bibles all, totally run the state. Any time you enter a business meeting and the other party starts spouting off about what a "good Christian" they are, you should just leave. It's a disarming tactic. You will be cheated, lied to, and used. I have seen THEIR vision of OUR future, and anyone not in their pew will be a second-class citizen at best.

I generally scoff at conspiracy plots, but I do fear an attempted coup is in the works.

This story is horrible. God, I hate the way the poice have been brainwashed. It is slightly worse than the brainwashing the general public gets.

I like Ron Paul's position on the government role in PROTECTING civil liberties. He's right, when you just ignore the consitution those in power will just take more power.
Ron Paul R3VOLution!

Others wrote: "I believe U.S. citizens are naively underestimating the utter evil we are all really facing in the rogue Republican Bush administration"
"Bush and Cheney will declare martial law, seizing all power unto themselves."
"I generally scoff at conspiracy plots, but I do fear an attempted coup is in the works."
"we are quite obviously goose-stepping towards a REAL LIVE POLICE STATE"
"The new presidential signing statements , give the govt. the freedom to declare anyone an enemy combatant or terrorist and intimidate and arrest anyone who protests anything this government is doing"

You know, our Founders predicted this. They feared it could, and probably would happen.
(A few of my favorites, the first of which is particularly pertinent to this story)
"Most codes extend their definitions of treason to acts not really against one's country. They do not distinguish between acts against the government, and Acts Against the OPPRESSIONS of the government. The latter are virtues, yet have furnished more victims to the executioner than the former, because real treasons are rare; oppressions frequent. The unsuccessful strugglers against tyranny have been the chief martyrs of treason laws in all countries."
--Thomas Jefferson--
"What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them."
--Thomas Jefferson--
"The strongest reason for the people to retain their right to keep and bear arms is as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government."
--Thomas Jefferson--

Tyranny. It's one primary reason they gave us a written Bill of Rights that included the right to maintain arms for the Preservation of a FREE State.
I hope this visionary insight from the 18th century is now hitting home with some who previously did not appreciate it's wisdom.
Still, there are many who clamor for a disarmed population.
"Here, let me bare my throat for you..."

I'd also like to caution against believing the Dems are going to reverse any of it, as they now have control of Congress, and so far have NOT withdrawn the unconstitutional Iraq War "Authorization", and most recently made the warrantless wiretaps they universally campaigned AGAINST last year, legal.
That should tell us all we need to know about whether gov't intends to police ITSELF.

Isn't that called the typical Bush fascism?

Much fun is it is to blame things on Dubya, and there are plenty of nasty things that he deserves full blame for, it's kind of hard to make THIS one stick.

Asheville, NC has a black woman Dem for a mayor, and the city council is dominated by Dems, 6 to 1.
If they can't control what their police department is doing, well, they're pretty worthless no matter WHAT party's hook they hang their hats on.

Let's stick to what Dubya is actually guilty of, 'eh?

"You who govern public affairs, what need have you to employ punishments?" Thoreau.
Cops will be Cops will be Cops.... they have a mentality that it's THEIR town/city whatever and if what your doing isn't what they believe is the right thing then Dagnabbit muskie!! Eyes gunna Lockim up! Damn Unpatriotic hooligan!
It's just uneducated civil servants with guns, what's the problem?

THE TYRANTS ARE HERE, THE TYRANTS ARE HERE......Yup folks, it's already happened.

While everyone is entitled to their opinions, WHAT THE HELL HAS HAPPENED TO THE FIGHTING AMERICAN SPIRIT????

How many of you here have personally taken the time and energy to call or fax your Reps in Govt?? Writing and Emailing are NO GOOD.(emails get electronically dumped and writing goes into the trash because of the continuing "anthrax" scare.)

I have, daily, and thank God that I have unlimited calling so that each fax I send to an "ASS-WIPE" Legislature, Executive, and Judicial "TRAITOR" will be logged in and received.

I have faxed the GOP's and Dem's of other areas too. But you know what people, IT'S ALL OF YOUR FAULT THAT WE ARE IN THIS DIRE PREDICAMENT. YES, ALL OF YOU.

I have tried to warn the deaf and dumb but ya know what, NOBODY F**KING CARES!!!! Like, H-E-L-L-O America. And American's were wandering around aimlessly shouting, "what happened, where's my rights, when did this happen." Yada, yada, yada.

WHY DID YOU ENABLE YOUR REPS TO GIVE THE ASS HOLE PRESIDENT THOSE UNCHECK POWERS!!!!! YOU ALL HAVE BETRAYED YOURSELVES AND THE CONSTITUTION AND WHAT THE FOREFATHERS FOUGHT FOR.

GET OFF YOUR HUMMER, MANICURED, LAZY POLITICAL ASSES AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!!

FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY WAS WHAT THE CONSTITUTION GUARANTEED!! BUT YOU HAVE TO 'PAY SOMEBODY' TO ASSEMBLE FREELY. ISN'T THIS UNCONSTITUTIONAL TO MEET IN THE "PUBLIC SQAURE? FOR MONEY??$$???

Do you people really believe the Constitution is still valid?? Ha, ha, ha, what a bunch of dufus' When the "Patriot Act" was authorized, in a hurry without review, OUR RIGHTS WERE TAKEN AWAY AND THE CONSTITUTION WAS SUSPENDED/VOIDED. Where was the dissent??? Where were the protests?? Yeah right, thought so...."oh somebody else will take care of it/vote for it.....yada, yada, yada"

PROTEST, PROTEST, PROTEST!!! Even if you have to go to jail. It only takes one person but people are TOOOOO BUSY!!!!!!

My partner bitches about our rights and then says, "that's just the way it is..." WRONG! Colonial America fought long and hard to procure the rights we take advantage of daily or rights we did have.

SO NOW, "YOU'VE MADE YOUR BED" WHEN ARE YOU GONNA CHANGE IT??? SCREW YOUR SUV'S, HUMMER'S, MANICURES, VACATIONS, BALLGAMES, INTERNET SURFING, CHILDREN'S PARTY, ETC.....

WE ARE NEARING A "CIVIL WAR" PEOPLE. Our rights have been taken away before. Lincoln suspended Habeus Corpus to shut the southern dissenters up and ignored the Supreme Court Justice's ruling to release a political prisoner. Under Lincoln, 13,000 Southern dissents were tossed in jail because the protested his war policies, etc....

In WW I political protestors were shut up by reviving the "Sedition Acts" and "Alien Rights Act" which targeted both Aliens and Americans. (anybody getting a clue yet??)

In WW II the President rounded up UNITED STATES BORN CITIZENS OF JAPANESE HERITAGE AND THREW THEM ALL INTO INTERNMENT CAMPS, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!!!!!! Because the enemy happened to be Japanese, the govt feared those Americans were collaboraters, that's assumed, you know, if you assume you make an "ASS" out of "U" and "ME!"

Some of these Japanese fought for America in the Armed forces but were interred like the Jews were by the Nazi's but murdering the Japanese did'nt go that far like Hitler did with the Jews(human beings).

"Oh, but it couldn't happen here in America????"" Put that chicken wing down long enough to realize WE'RE LIVING GEORGE ORWELL'S "1984" AND THE TOM CRUISE MOVIE, "MINORITY REPORT!"

Now, Nazi King George the ass-wipe wants to repeat history. Oh but you're all too blind to realize history once again repeats, repeats, repeats.

Oh, when did you believe "big brother started?" How about with the begining of footprints/fingerprints of babies family names in the family "Bible" and then came Social Security numbers, etc... Now big brother is everywhere but your bathroom(unconfirmed about the loo)

STOP THIS BANTERING AND ORGANIZE A MARCH AND TROT DOWN TO YOUR REPS LOCAL OFFICE AND PICKET. AND INCLUDE THE WORDS "TRAITOR" BELOW THEIR NAMES BECAUSE THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THE "DO NOTHING" CONGRESS HAS BECOME. THEY TOOK AN OATH OF OFFICE TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION AND THE SOVERIEGNTY OF THE UNITED STATES.....WELL, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THEM TO PERFROM.

DISSENT, DISSENT, DISSENT, DISSENT. THE WORLD SEES THIS GREAT AMERICA AS A BUNCH OF COWARDS BECAUSE WE HAVE ENABLED OUR GOVT TO BASICALLY TELL US WHEN TO "EAT, SLEEP, AND TAKE A SHIT!!

IF YOU THINK I AM A NUT, IDIOT, ASS-WIPE, ETC... GREAT, GOOD JOB, YOU'RE FINALLY AWAKE!!! GET HARPING MAD AT THE GOVT AND GET YOUR COMMUNITIES TOGETHER AND MARCH IN PROTEST.

POLITICIANS RESPOND WELL UNDER PUBLIC PRESSURE. IMPEACH, RECALL, OR WHATEVER WE HAVE THE MEANS TO DO TO GET THESE LOSERS OUT OF OFFICE.

USE THE WUSS MEDIA TO COVER YOUR PROTEST, THEY LOVE STUFF LIKE THIS EVEN THOUGH THEY NO LONGER USE "FREEDOM OF THE PRESS" BECAUSE IT'S LIKE TABLOID REPORTING AND THEY THINK PEOPLE LOVE A GOOD FIGHT TO WATCH ON THE NEWS.

"THOSE WHO CAN GIVE UP ESSENTIAL LIBERTY TO OBTAIN A LITTLE TEMPORARY SAFETY DESERVE NEITHER LIBERTY OR SAFETY."
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, 1775 (HOW'D HE KNOW???)

NOW THAT YOU ARE ALL AWAKE, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO GET YOUR RIGHTS, AFFORDED UNDER THE CONSTITUTION, BACK????????

I CAN'T HEAR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT DID THEY USE TO DO TO TRAITORS/TREASONISTS IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE.....???? "HANG YOUR HEAD DOWN TOM DOOLEY, HANG YOUR HEAD DOWN AND DIE....." YUP, SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT.

PS: WONDER HOW LONG THE FBI, SECRET SERVICE, AND CIA WILL TAKE TO ARREST ME FOR THE NOW DEFUNCT, "FREE SPEECH" UNDER AMMENDENT 1 OF THE REPELED CONSTITUTION.....that I have been spewing forth.

OH, ONE LAST THING, GO TO www.whitehouse.gov/pressreleases and scroll to Bush's "Executive Order of July 17, 2007" and you will see what will happen to dissenters of Bushies Iraq war policies and restabilization efforts. "Blocking property of "certain persons"......" VAGUE and can be used against anybody and anybody that comes to your defense. You're penniless and homeless read this order carefully and then get fuming MAD!!!!!!!

GODSPEED, LET'S TAKE BACK AMERICA!!!!!

Shelly F., dear? F%*k the South! Your "genteel" heritage and community "values"? It's all just a screen for your ongoing bigotry, your closemindedness, and your collective inability to think beyond where your next biscuit is coming from and whether you can gull or coerce someone else into making it for you. You lost the Civil War in 1865 yet one hundred years later you and the rest of your inbred kinfolk were still punishing the rest of us for making you pick your own cotton to earn an honest living by voting for scumbag Republicans pandering to your fears and lost feelings of entitlement. GET OVER IT! It's time to suck it up and join the rest of America in moving us forward into the 21st century. Y'all stamping your petulant little feet and throwing a hissy fit when someone points out to you that Bush is a liar and an idiot and in a fair world would be unable to hold a job cleaning toilets in a Montgomery, AL busstation ain't helping nobody. Time to put your shoulder to the wheel, take the cotton out of your ears, and quit your whining.

Please send me his sign (or equal), I'll post it in my front yard and send $100 to ACLU

Retired cop from Calif. Visiting distant family in So. Carolina. All the Carolina relatives are immediately suspicious and keep their distance when they hear I was a cop . One Carolinian finally explains that ''all' the local cops are 'crooked' and accepting bribes to supplement their crappy pay. I'm told that local police depts in this rural area are made up of untrained cronies to whomever happens to be the chief. Sort of a Bizarro Andy of Mayberry world.

Like when I was in the service, Air Force (1950's) stationed in Georgia. Local cops waited down the road from the base and stopped guys going on leave. They arrested me for not having a Georgia drivers license. Took me to jail and made me pay them for a 'lifetime' Georgia DL.

A bunch of country boys with nothing between their ears. Hope the ACLU reams them out.

Dr. Ross, with an openmindedness such as that (call it 'bigotry' for short), you deserve all the George Bushs the South can saddle you with.

It would be nice if the REST of America could be spared though.

American Protester Remanded for Psychiatric Evaluation for Protesting Bush
http://thiscanadian.typepad.com/this_canadian/2006/05/us_protester_re.html

Canadians Refuse to Protest Inside 'Free Speech Zone' demarcated 'cages' at SPP protest in Montecello, PQ. - Summit demonstrators spurn protest 'cages'
Instead, many gathered outside the gate leading into the heavily guarded, ... of the summit from several cities, including Montreal, Kingston and Ottawa. ...

www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/ story/2007/08/20/nafta-summit.html

Spread Love...
... but wear the Glove!

BlueBerry Pick'n
can be found @
ThisCanadian DOT com
"Silent Freedom is Freedom Silenced"

"MonteBello", sorry!

typo!

I agree with the first poster: the individual police officer was a loser. That said: expect the police to honor the Code of Silence along with the DA and back up this renegade. IF the arrested person knows someone in authority and enough renegade antics have already been committed by this loose cannon, the police may cut him loose - or the chief or sheriff will take a dive. They have the same Code of Silence for the medical profession; nobody is more reviled than those who testify against brother doctors in malpractice suits.

The Press Release from Asheville Police Department

The Asheville Police Department is a professional, well trained, and accredited agency that is committed to protecting individuals’ Constitutional rights. Our Department has assisted with untold rallies and protests to protect citizens’ opportunity for free speech while maintaining the safety of all individuals present. The press release attached below describes the facts surrounding this case. Expressing one’s opinions must be done in a manner that does not infringe upon the rights and safety of others. In this case, the actions of Mr. Phillips was impeding the flow of traffic and endangering motorists by holding a sign over Interstate 240 during rush hour traffic which could have caused a serious traffic crash. It is unfortunate that this event and the motives of the officers have been misconstrued to represent an act by the Asheville Police Department to deprive someone of their Constitutional rights.

Chief Bill Hogan

For Immediate Release

Aug. 20, 2007

Asheville Police Department

Contact: Police Chief Bill Hogan

Phone: 259-5901, or 552-1900

E-mail: whogan@ashevillenc.gov

APD responds to concerns about charges against West Asheville man

ASHEVILLE – The Asheville Police Department has received several inquiries about the Aug. 15 arrest of an Asheville man who was holding a sign on the Haywood Road Bridge over Interstate 240, and was subsequently charged with impeding the flow of traffic.

A review of the incident including interviews with the officers discloses the following:

Shortly before 8 a.m., during rush hour on Aug. 15, a person flagged down APD Officer Russell Crisp, who was in his police car on Haywood Road, to inform him that a man was standing on the I-240 overpass and obstructing traffic.

The department had received multiple complaints over a two-week period last month about individuals holding up signs at that same spot.

Officer Russell Crisp arrived to find Jonas Phillips, 35, was holding his sign over the I-240 overpass. When Officer Crisp arrived at the location, Mr. Phillips walked across three lanes of traffic on the bridge, thereby impeding the flow of traffic on Haywood Road.

After Officer Crisp caught up with Mr. Phillips, he asked Mr. Phillips how long he intended to be there. Mr. Phillips replied that he would be there until he had to go to work.

At this point, Officer Crisp called his superior, Sgt. Randy Riddle, who came to the overpass and informed Mr. Phillips that he was in violation of Sec. 16-2 of the city’s municipal code pertaining to "Obstruction of streets, sidewalks by persons prohibited."

Sec. 16-2 reads in part:

It shall be unlawful for any person, singly or in a group, to:

(1) Obstruct or cause to be obstructed vehicular or pedestrian traffic on the streets or sidewalks or in parks or other public areas within the corporate limits of the city.

Mr. Phillips was charged and arrested for being in violation of that code, and the department is also examining whether he may also be charged for violating an N.C. Department of Transportation law that prohibits hanging signs on an overpasses, which poses dangers for motorists passing below.

The officers can attest that as Mr. Phillips held his sign over the edge of the bridge, drivers on the interstate were slowing down and honking their horns, which also created a traffic hazard and impeded the flow of traffic. Interstate 240 on the west side of the city is often congested, especially at rush hour, and this congestion heightens the potential for accidents.

"This city and this police department pride ourselves on protecting people’s right to free speech, as long as they don’t infringe on the rights, safety and freedoms of others," Police Chief Bill Hogan said. "It was not the content of the sign, but the risks posed to drivers that precipitated our actions."

Mojo.blog and other blogger: Please do not allow this incident to fade from our memory.

This case is a signal of our US Constitution's continued existence, as is impeachment of Bush, Cheney and Gonzales.

Where are these cops when I'm shopping at Wal Mart? People are always obstructing the aisles. We need more aisle police. Bust some heads and throw em in the slammer for 30 days.

Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add 'within the limits of the law' because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual.
Thomas Jefferson

Seems to me that a proper responce to fascists like those in ANY city who would allow this affront on the consttutions to take place in the first place, would be to form - en masse - a protest gahering - on a weekday in the morning during rush hour of course - on that very bridge, displaying THOUSANDS of the same IMPEACH BUSH sign that got this guy arrested... That's what we'd have done in Seattle WA, or Portland OR.

I'm a North Carolinian, suffused with perhaps-outdated information that Asheville is/was SUPPOSED to be a pretty politically-tolerant place to live, more internationally - minded than some Bible Belt cities, fo' sho' liberally catering to a broad spectrum of tourists, home-area to some remainder of the Cherokee Nation, etc. (Hey, whatever happened to Black Mountain ?!). . . Hmmm.
Sending encouragement to the Phillipses, with a "thanks" to Jonas Phillips for standing up, on his own time, without obstructing anybody's anything. Wishing reason (sanity) upon those who arrogantly detract from fundamental freedoms supposedly protected under American constitutional guarantee. Hmmm.
Any organized protest events, yet ?

Why don't a whole lot of people go to other areas of the city with the same sign to see if they are arrested? Spread the word and settle the conflict - was he arrested for content or obstruction?

I wanted to come back and address this assertion that poster 'Diane' made:
"He (Ron Paul) also has either the worst, or second to worst, record in protecting animals. He has voted consistently against laws that punish animal cruelty and stop animal fighing, as well as laws to protect lab animals and factory farm animals. His across-the-board votes for the factory farm industry are votes that support massive cruelty, and they are also anti-environmental votes."

Here's what Ron himself had to say, as reported by the Iowa Independent:
Iowa Independent asked Paul about his vote against the 2007 Farm Bill. "I don't believe the government should be involved in farming at all," he said, adding he favored a federal policy that has no subsidies whatsoever for farmers.

Ron's Not casting votes "against protecting animals", though I'm sure that's how the animal rights groups characterize anyone who consistently votes against what they propose. Ron's voting AGAINST federal involvement, both in the form of dictating to farmers how animals must be treated, and also AGAINST the massive 'corporate welfare' payments government is so fond of making to those factory farms you seem to think he loves.
He's entirely consistent all the way around.

Our Constitution gives FEDERAL government explicit authority over exactly THREE crimes, and it's a hard stretch to wedge cruelty to animals into Treason, Counterfeiting or High Seas Piracy.
Ron simply attempts to cast votes consistent with the powers the Constitution actually GIVES the Congress.

As officers Peanut and Corn have so proudly shown, THE SOUTH SHALL RISE AGAIN!

Well if holding a sign is illegal and is dangerous according to these American police, what are billboard signs doing up, do they not ditract motorists on the road, give me a break.
Why don't you Americans just go to Congress or the White House and invade it just for fun or really force your issue to them about 9/11 until they are sick of hearing it and give in.
You can only ignore a protest for so long before people stand up and take a notice.
Go tell your local politicians and use fear politics on them at a low level of governement eg boycott as they will do on 9/11/07 this year but threaten to do it till you crippl the transport services and economy till your voices are heard.

Alan(and others), if you are going to post, please do a spell check and a grammar check and then we can understand better what you are trying to communicate. The spell check icon is at the top of the Google tool bar.

"Your(sic) horribly misinformed Zee...and thats(sic) not the topic anyhow. "

Posted by: RPFP

I'm neither misinformed nor HORRIBLY ungrammatical, as you are.

Ron Paul supports an amendment proclaiming a fetus a person...and thus viable human female adults would be delegated to vessels and forced to carry to term these cellular "persons" against whatever their will is.

Do you have a womb? If not, stfu. Ir so, dedicate it to carrying to term unwanted babies...or else, S.T.F.U.

All liberals should seek professional counseling. Liberalism is a mental illness that creates false illusions and causes people to lose all sense of logic and reality. If you are interested in becoming a valid person with realistic thoughts and opinions, do yourself a favor and volunteer for shock treatments. Otherwise, please confine yourselves to a looney farm and commune with each other until your insanity brings about your demise.
"Imagine - No Liberals!"

JFK's Acceptance of the New York Liberal Party Nomination
September 14, 1960

What do our opponents mean when they apply to us the label "Liberal?" If by "Liberal" they mean, as they want people to believe, someone who is soft in his policies abroad, who is against local government, and who is unconcerned with the taxpayer's dollar, then the record of this party and its members demonstrate that we are not that kind of "Liberal." But if by a "Liberal" they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people -- their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, and their civil liberties -- someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicions that grip us in our policies abroad, if that is what they mean by a "Liberal," then I'm proud to say I'm a "Liberal."

******

I like it when guys get arrested fo go thins ya mon live it up peace to all bless the world jamaca owns ur face

I would say that they definately violated his civil rights.